The “American Girl” Books: A Rant

Anybody remember the American Girl books?  When I was younger I remember reading them over and over.  I was constantly rereading the stories about Felicity, Addy, and Samantha.  I also remember wishing I owned the ones about Kirsten and Molly.  All of these girls were American, and each lived during a different time in history.  Besides the books, you could buy the dolls themselves, with matching clothing and furniture.  My cousin had Felicity’s tea-table (she grew up during the American revolution) and it came with an actual tea set.

These books were a great way to teach young children about the diversity of America.  Not only did they introduce topics like slavery (Addy grew up during the Civil War, and was a former slave) and immigration (Kirsten was originally from Sweden), but they also made readers aware of things like racism, poverty, and discrimination.  I don’t want to just emphasize the negative topics however; these books also told stories of the importance of family, the necessity of overcoming obstacles, and the beauty of true friendship.

The girl I tutor gets the American Girl catalogue and when I flipped through it, I was shocked.  What I remember fondly as wonderful stories with matching dolls, has now become so commercialized that its appalling.  The books don’t even seem to be featured in the catalogue.  Instead of the dolls in their original time period clothing, what’s pushed is modern ski clothes, or party dresses.  Want your doll to go horseback riding? There’s gear for that!  Perhaps you want your doll to keep her schoolbooks in a locker.  You can buy that. 

Rebecca, Julie, Ivy, Emily, Kit, Ruthie, Nellie, Elizabeth, Josephina, and Kaya are all new characters that I don’t remember from my childhood.  Of them, perhaps Josephina and Kaya look like they have potential to be as influential as the original five girls.  Josephina is living in New Mexico around 1824, while Kaya is a Native American in 1764.  There are also “contemporary” American Girls: Chrissa, Mia, Nicki, Jess, Marisol, Kailey, and Lindsey.  Are any of these as good as the originals? I don’t know.  What saddens me is that some of the wonderful original dolls have been “archived” or “retired”.  Obviously this all revolves around money and sales, but I wish it didn’t.  The most recent American Girl?  Gwen Thompson- her claim to fame? She’s homeless.  Critics are quick to point out that no money from Gwen’s sales is going/will go to the truly homeless.

Is there anyone out there who has read, or has children who read, these newer American Girl books?  Are they still as good as they used to be, or has the American Girl series lost its magic?

Have no idea what I’m talking about?  Check out: Samantha (New York, 1904), Felicity (Virginia, 1774), Addy (Pennsylvania, 1864 ), Molly (England, 1944), or Kirsten (Minnesota Territory, 1854), along with the rest of the “American Girls“.

 

Missed my last post?  It was: REVIEW: “THE LEAP” BY ANNA ENQUIST

Review: “A Leap” by Anna Enquist

Title: A Leap

Author: Anna Enquist

Format: Papberack

Number of Pages: 100

ISBN: 978-1592642588

Publisher: The Toby Press

Date of Publication: April 1, 2009

3 stars: Okay, but not for me

 

 

This book of short stories is by Dutch author Anna Enquist. I had never heard of her, but the blurb says she is a “musician, a psychoanalyst, a poet, and a novelist” and also a best-selling author in other countries…. so I thought I couldn’t go wrong with picking up this book.

First off, the book is only 100 pages. This is something that is displayed on the product page, but I rarely pay attention to… I expect that many other customers may do the same, so therefore this is a warning that the book is short- something I was disappointed with. Also, the ‘monologues’ just weren’t very connected in my opinion. I thought these monologues would all be related, or have some interaction with each other, but this is not the case. The summary says they are connected in that they are all looking for a home, but I just didn’t get that either. There are five of these short stories, the first and last being the longest and in my opinion it is those two which are most connected. Music is the common theme. Of these, I really only enjoyed the last one.

The stories start with “Alma” followed by “Mendel Bronstein,” “Cato and Leendert,” “The Doctor,” and “… And I am Sara”. “Alma” is about a woman who loves music and composing, but gives them up because her husband (a composer himself) makes her. It’s about her struggling to deal with this loss, since music is such a part of her and gives her so much joy. “Mendel Bronstein” is about a man who wants to travel to America but really has no idea what he is getting himself into. This story is quite short, and unless you read carefully, you miss what really happens at the end. “Cato and Leendert” takes place during WW2, and most interestingly deals with the animals being kept in the zoo. “The Doctor” also takes place during the same time and deals with a doctor’s mixed thoughts about helping a German soldier. Finally, “… And I am Sara” deals with a young woman trying to find herself after college.

As with most short stories, these seem to be bleak and depressing. Again, the last one (“… And I am Sara”) which I enjoyed most of, is the only one that broke of that mold for a short time. In that story I did enjoy the writing style. The sentences were short and choppy, like thoughts flitting through Sara’s (the main character) head. It really worked for Enquist there.

Enquist’s imagery was also extremely well done, in “… And I am Sara,” and in the other stories. At times it was so well done that I was disgusted, as was probably Enquist’s goal- when discussing bloody soldiers, or unwashed immigrants. Other times it gave off a peaceful and beautiful image, like when Enquist writes of spring flowers.

There’s no doubt that Enquist is a talented writer, but I felt that this collection just wasn’t perfected. I would have liked to see those stories be more connected. Perhaps something is lost in translation? After all, they were originally published in Dutch, so maybe we’re just not getting the original meaning.

Interested?  Buy it at amazon: A Leap

Missed my last post?  It was: REVIEW: “THE PRIVATE PAPERS OF EASTERN JEWEL” BY MAUREEN LINDLEY

Review: “The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel” by Maureen Lindley

Title: “The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel”

Author: Maureen Lindley

Format: Papberack

Number of Pages: 304

ISBN: 978-1596917033

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Date of Publication: September 1, 2009

2 stars: Falls short of expectations

 

 

 

I wanted to like this book. The title is catchy, the cover art looks great. But the subject matter just didn’t work. Eastern Jewel is a Chinese princess who ends up being sent to a Japanese family. Eastern Jewel quickly learns to love all things Japanese and to be blunt, has sex with anything that moves.

I found the main character to be repulsive. She essentially did nothing with her life, except have sex. While one could argue that she did as she pleased, I still was turned off by it. There were mentions of several ‘relationships’ that she was in, but they were certainly not healthy relationships.

The redeeming factors of this novel…. there were some brilliant descriptions. The author does have a gift with words. Unfortunately, in my opinion, that was not enough to save this book. I recently read a review saying that this was a poor imitation of “Memoirs of a Geisha”. It certainly does pale in comparison.

Buy this book on amazon here.

 

Missed my last review?  It was QUICK REVIEW: “ALEXANDER & ALESTRIA” BY SHAN SA

Quick Review: “Alexander & Alestria” by Shan Sa

Title: “Alexander & Alestria”

Author: Shan Sa

Format: Hardcover

Number of Pages: 256

ISBN: 978-0061543548

Publisher: Harper

Date of Publication: July 22, 2008

1 star: Alexander the what???

 

This is just a quick review, but I had to post it while it was on my mind.  Anyone who has seen my library knows that I am a huge fan of Alexander the Great.  I’ve read numerous nonfiction books about him, and anyone who knows me knows that I do not usually care for nonfiction.  I also of course read any historical fiction about Alexander that I can get my hands on.  So when I came across this book, I had to read it!

And wow was it bad.  The blurb says that his father Philip of Macedon abused him.  Okay I can see that, but in this book, Philip wants to have sex with him.  Weird.  But even if you can swallow that (many books portray Philip as having sex with anything that moves), the main problem is Alexander himself.  The author describes Alexander as wanting to be a girl…. Dresses, makeup, the works. 

Alexander is a huge wimp.  And it goes on and on and on.  Frankly I couldn’t finish this.  I just could not get into it.  This was the man that conquered most of the known world?  I don’t think so.  If you’re a fan of Alexander the Great, I would definitely not recommend this.

But maybe it’s just me! I have a crush on Alexander, that’ s obvious.  So those of you who don’t, maybe you’ll be able to get into the girly-Alexander.  If so, check out Shan Sa’s novel.

Buy it at amazon.

Missed my last post?  It was Review: “The Aviary Gate” by Katie Hickman

Review: “The Aviary Gate” by Katie Hickman

(Ignoring the fact that I haven’t been blogging for awhile…..) Okay so there’s been discussion about when the best time to post reviews of an ARC.  Some say it’s best to have them posted either before or right when the book is published.  I think that’s a good strategy.  So then I feel guilty if I don’t review books before their publication date, especially if I’ve had them for a bit. 

But then I thought… well it could also be helpful for reviews to pop up awhile after the book’s been published.  Basically the buzz about it has passed, and my review serves as a reminder that the book still exists- and if you haven’t bought it already then maybe you should.   

 

 

Title: “The Aviary Gate”

Author: Katie Hickman

Format: Hardcover

Number of Pages: 352

ISBN: 978-1596914759

Publisher: Bloomsbury, USA

Date of Publication: May 27, 2008

3.5/4 stars: A journey into the past

 

 

I can’t seem to stop talking about cover art!  I guess I really do judge a book by it’s cover!  The cover for “The Aviary Gate” is beautiful.  According to the book jacket, it’s Leila (1892) by Frank Dicksee.  (His work is truly gorgeous!  Look here for a some of his other paintings.)  The art is fitting since part of the story takes place in a harem in the sixteenth century.  But then I stumbled upon “The Guilded Chamber: A Novel of Queen Esther” by Rebecca Kohn (in my search for Biblical historical fiction after reading “The Triumph of Deborah”- see my review here).  The jacket art for Kohn’s book,  although a bit more red than pink and zoomed in a bit, is clearly the same art.  I certainly recognized it immediately.  Kohn’s book was published by Penguin in 2005 (currently at bargain price on Amazon right now, so I just snagged it!), and while it has been a few years, you would think somebody would have thought twice about using the same cover art so soon.

 

That aside, let’s move onto the story, or two stories as the case may be.  The book alternates between present day Elizabeth, and Celia in the sixteenth century.  Many found the present day story to pale in comparison to the sixteenth century bits.  At times I felt the same way, while at others I looked forward to Elizabeth’s story.  In either case, it seemed as though each part could stand on its own.  It was as though the two stories were written separately and then spliced together to allow the two time periods to alternate throughout the final book.

I had a bit of trouble reading this.  In the beginning, I was hooked.  I couldn’t put it down.  However, real life intervened and I was forced to stop reading it for awhile.  When I got back to it- it was like the magic was gone.  I couldn’t get back into it.  The dialogue was boring, the characters flat.  I had forgotten who everyone was and what they were doing.  It didn’t help that I wasn’t too pleased with the way it ended.  But…. all that said- I think overall it’s a good read.  It did take me awhile to write this review though.  I had to ‘digest’ the story, if that makes sense? 

So if this comes off wishy-washy, I apologize.  The story had it’s ups and downs.  But I would recommend it.  However if you do start reading, try to read it all at once, or at least don’t start reading and then not pick it up for a couple of weeks!  Reading it all in one sitting will allow you to delve into the story, becoming entranced by the characters and especially the imagery- which no matter how you feel about the story and plot- is simply beautiful.

 

Buy it at Amazon

Missed my last post?  It was Review: “Dead and Gone” by Charlaine Harris

Review: “Dead and Gone” by Charlaine Harris

Title: “Dead and Gone”

Author: Charlaine Harris

Format: Hardcover

Number of Pages: 320

ISBN: 0441017150

Publisher: Ace

Date of Publication: May 5, 2009 (Yesterday!)

5 stars: I’ve been waiting for months!

 

 

I’ve been waiting for this book for months, ever since it became available to preorder… and really I’ve been waiting for it since the end of the last Sookie book. And Charlaine did not disappoint with “Dead and Gone,” book nine in the Sookie Stackhouse series. (See below for titles and order in which to read the books)

This book featured all of the species we know and love. The vamps, the weres, and finally the fairies were all featured and all stirring up some sort of drama. The fairies are especially interesting, particularly Niall (her grandfather who was only seen briefly in the past). Eric the vampire is up to his old tricks, though he does appear to genuinely care for Sookie, which I was glad to see. Sam and the weres don’t really have big parts necessarily in this tale; however there is a death in the were community that really hits home for Sookie’s family.

I would definitely recommend this book. It arrived today and I put off food, work, and sleep to get through it as soon as possible. Now that I’ve finished it, I’m virtually stunned by the amount of drama that Charlaine Harris was able to pack into it- especially towards the end! I’m pretty sure I’ll be rereading this book tomorrow because it was that good!

Have to add though, I’m not loving the ’sticker’ on the cover promoting “True Blood”. It’s not a sticker, b/c it’s actually part of the cover. And I don’t want it there! And I already watch “True Blood” so I really could have done without it. That said, it doesn’t really take away from the amazingness of the book….

New to the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries ? Don’t start here! The Sookie books in order:
Dead Until Dark (Book 1)
Living Dead in Dallas (Book 2)
Club Dead (Book 3)
Dead to the World (Book 4)
Dead as a Doornail (Book 5)
Definitely Dead (Book 6)
All Together Dead (Book 7)
From Dead To Worse (Book 8 )

Stories by Charlaine Harris that fit into the Sookie universe (some of these contain important details!):

“Powers of Detection” ~Book 4.25 (Sookie short story)
“Night’s Edge” ~Book 4.5 (not a Sookie story, but in the same universe)
“Bite” ~Book 4.5 (Sookie short story)
“My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding” ~Book 4.75 (not a Sookie story, but in the same universe)
“Many Bloody Returns” ~Book 7.5 (Sookie short story)
“Wolfsbane and Mistletoe” ~Book 8.25 (Sookie short story)
“Unusual Suspects” ~Book 8.5 (Sookie short story)

“Blood Lite” and “Strange Brew” and “Must Love Hellhounds”- Not in Sookie Universe, but contain stories by Charlaine Harris; the last two have not yet been released.

Buy this book on amazon here.

Not dead…..

Hi all, I’m not dead, though it kinda looks that way from the appearance of this journal. I do apologize for leaving people hanging and not replying. I was just mentally not in a reading/blogging place. I am going to attempt to get back in the game. I still owe people reviews and I will get to them, though obviously it will take longer than I expected.

xoxo
Kathleen

Review, Interview, and Giveaway: “Two Brothers: One North, One South” by David H. Jones

Title: “Two Brothers: One North, One South”
Author: David H. Jones
Format: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-0979689857
Publisher: Staghorn Press
Date of Publication: September 1, 2008— Available now!

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

 

“Moonlight glimmered on the distant capitol dome and cast long shadows from the gothic towers and battlements of the Smithsonian Institute. To the west, the partially completed shaft of the Washington Monument appeared like a giant white chimney protruding from the dark landscape. Between these edificeswere fields filled with temporary streets and wooden buildings. Bathed in the dim light was a city transforming itself from a military bastion consumed by the business of war to a city intent on governing the once-again United States.”

(“Two Brothers: One North, One South” pg 7)

 

I have to say that I love the opening paragraph above.  Sometimes when I go back to reread a book and I’m looking for a few good lines to use in my review, I have to look for quite awhile.  In this case, it’s the first thing you read- and they’re perfect.  As I mentioned in one of my recent reviews about another author, this is what Creative Writing teachers strive to pull from you.  The imagery is fantastic.  You can picture the capitol!  Or perhaps it’s even those first two words- “Moonlight glimmered“– a perfect descriptive hook.

The story itself is pretty good.  The title is pretty self explanatory, it’s the story of two brothers during the American Civil War.  I’ve not read much historical fiction set during this time.  The only thing that comes to mind is Ann Rinaldi’s “The Last Silk Dress“, but that is a completely different type of book (still good though!).  “Two Brothers….” is based upon acutal historical events which is what I think really makes it work.  As you can see from my interview below with the author, he did a tremendous amount of research- and I think it really shows in the story.  (Not that I would know differently, as my knowledge in this area is lacking… but I’ll take his word for it that most of the details and dates and such are historically accurate!)

What I liked most about this book is that it didn’t read like a boring history book.  I’ve come across so many historical fiction novels that put too much emphasis on history and not enough on fiction.  They attempt to write nonfiction disguised as fiction.  In this case, “Two Brothers…” is the perfect balance.  There’s action and dialogue.  The history is there, but you can tell that you’re reading fiction.  Hopefully you understand what I mean!

I would indeed recommend this to anyone looking for historical fiction set during or around the American Civil War.  For that matter, I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a good story!  Thanks to David H. Jones and Trish from TLC tours.  See below for my interview with David, and for details on how to win your own copy of this book.

 

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

David H. Jones has graciously agreed to allow me to interview him! Welcome David, and thank you for joining us today.

Q. I love the cover art, the split uniform showing the uniforms for both the North and the South. It works extremely well with the story. I’m always interested in how much influence an author has over the cover art. So my question is are you pleased with the cover, and were you directly involved in the process of choosing an image?

A. I share your delight with the “Two Brothers” cover art for its great appearance and the fact that it clearly depicts the story within. The amount of influence an author has on cover art and interior layout depends on the publisher. I was directly involved with developing the concept and working with the designer, The DesignWorksGroup, but I’m aware of other circumstances where the publisher has total control over the decision making process and the author is not consulted. After several discussions with Charles Brock, a principal of The DesignWorks Group, I received three presentations and chose the one that evolved into the final design approved by all parties. As it was important that the uniforms be absolutely correct, exact reproductions were purchased and used in the photography, then donated to Pamplin Historical Park for its interpretative program.

Q. From the jacket I can see that you’re a “lifelong student of the Civil War”. What first interested you about the civil war? What’s kept you so focused and interested on it, as opposed to say, the American Revolutionary War?

A. American history is my passion, all phases of it, from the first colonization to more recent times. However, the Civil War has special meaning to me as my father told stories during my childhood that he heard from his grandfather, personally linking me to the horrendous event that wrought our nation from a loose collection of states. My dad lived a long and good life, and I knew him well. He knew his maternal grandfather, Jacob Eckes, who served as a private in the 10th West Virginia Infantry. Thus, as a 68-year old man, I knew people, who knew people, who fought in the American Civil War, proving that it happened not so very long ago.

Q. What did you hope to accomplish by sharing “Two Brothers…” with the world?

A. Great question! I found the Prentiss brothers story while researching my ancestor’s regiments in past wars. My great great grandfather James Touchstone served in the 6th Maryland Infantry with Clifton Prentiss. Fascinated by the story, I compiled voluminous notes over three years of research and determined that it was the quintessential story of the Civil War. It was clearly a story that needed to be told! What I hope to accomplish is recognition by readers of Walt Whitman’s conclusion–that the soldiers of both sides were American patriots and that their stories must not be forgotten.

Q. How has your life changed since you wrote “Two Brothers…”, and do you have any plans for writing another novel sometime in the future?
A. The research phase and subsequent book tours have included a number of trips back East (we live in California) to Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, and Petersburg–all places that are among our favorites to visit. Next week we are doing a book signing at the Museum and Visitor Center at the Gettysburg National Military Park. We have visited the graves of all of the main characters and many sites where important events in the book took place. Dian and I were honored to unveil the new Veterans Administration gravestones for the Prentiss brothers at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, where they’re buried side by side. These have all been great departures from our typical routine and things that we have thoroughly enjoyed.
The next writing project–that’s another great question. A memoir of a 6th Maryland officer which describes in great detail his experiences throughout the war has recently come to light. If permission to publish can be achieved, I may write a history of the 6th Regiment of Maryland Infantry, or a new novel, based on this journal. Time will tell.

Q. This kind of goes along with the previous question, but what do you like to do when you’re not writing?

A. Dian and I enjoy travel and spending time with family and friends. I’m also still actively involved in business.

Q. Let’s finish with my usual bookish questions! What kind of books do you like to read? What is your favorite book? Who is your favorite author? Finally, what are you reading right now and why?

A. I like both fiction and non-fiction. On a recent trip to Florida I read the novel “Down River” by John Hart and enjoyed it very much. My favorite book of all time is “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry. Presently, I’m about one-third into the just released “Now The Drum of War: Walt Whitman and his Brothers in the Civil War” by Robert Roper. It’s excellent and provides great insight into Whitman’s Civil War experiences.

 

A big thank you to David for joining us. I’m sure my readers enjoyed our interview as much as I did. Don’t forget to check out David’s Blog here!

Giveaway details: David as well as Trish from TLC tours have sent me an extra copy of “Two Brothers: One North, One South” for me to giveaway to one lucky commenter. The book is even autographed! If you’d like to win it, comment on this post telling me about your favorite Civil War book. If you don’t have one, tell me why you want to read this one. You have until the end of the month, November 31rst, and like my other contests, this is open to anyone- not just the US and Canada. For an extra entry, you can blog about this contest, but make sure to tell me about it!

 

Review, and Giveaway: “The Lost Diary of Don Juan” by Douglas Carlton Abrams

Current Giveaway: “Violet in Private” by Melissa Walker- ends 10/31/08

 

Title: “The Lost Diary of Don Juan”

Author: Douglas Carlton Abrams

Format: Paperback

Number of Pages: 336

ISBN: 978-1416532521

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Date of Publication: (Reprint) July 1, 2008

3 stars: Okay, but not my thing

 

 

 

 “I looked at her smiling face, and her black hair, disheveled by our earlier desire.  Her clear brown eyes reflected the flames of the candles that encircled the altar of her bed.  How could I refuse her?”

(The Lost Diary of Don Juan pg 3)

 

“The Lost Diary of Don Juan” by Douglas Carlton Abrams is the story of Don Juan, a man raised by nuns who has to flee after having an affair with one of them.  He’s guided by a Marquis who teaches him ’swordplay and seduction’.  Don Juan is essentially a libertine or a Casanova- a lover of all women.  The story is a bit predictable, in that of course he will eventually fall in love (real love) with one woman.

It’s meant to be a diary, although there are very few moments when you will be able to tell.  Each entry is certainly not started, “Dear Diary.”  There’s plenty of dialogue along with the action, so really it just seems to be a story told in the past tense. 

I couldn’t help but think, as I read, that certain parts of the book simply made me think of Zorro.  Specifically the Marquis guiding Don Juan- it just made me picture (the somewhat-recent movie verion of) Anthony Hopkins molding Antonio Banderas into the new Zorro!  I also found little love for the womanizing Don Juan.  Despite the author’s goal to display Don Juan’s ‘love’ of all women, all I could see was Don Juan’s ‘lust’ for all women.  

Those who enjoy Spanish historical fiction may enjoy this story, or perhaps those who enjoy romance.  I couldn’t really get into it though which is why it’s only getting three stars from me.  If you’d like to get your hands on a copy, you’re in luck.  I’m giving away a copy to one commenter.  Simply leave me a comment telling me your favorite historical fiction or romance book and author.  For another entry, blog about this contest and tell me about it.  The winner will be picked randomly October 31rst (the same day my current giveaway ends).  And as usual this contest is open to anyone.

Visit the author at www.DouglasCarltonAbrams.com or www.LostDiaryofDonJuan.com.

 

Missed my last post?  It was SOME CONFUSION

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “SWORD” BY DA CHEN

Some confusion….

Current Giveaway: “Violet in Private” by Melissa Walker- ends 10/31/08

 

Hi guys, I didn’t post yesterday because I figured I would be posting today.  That is, I was supposed to have a guest post by an author.  He’s doing a blog tour and I’ll be reviewing his book later on in the month.  There seems to be some confusion though because I’ve been trying to get in touch with the blog coordinator regarding his post, but haven’t got any response.  So I do apologize for not having something ready to post today, as I was depending on that.

 

I suppose I could turn this into a question though.  I’m currently working with three different blog tour operators.  What do you think of blog tours?  If you do them, do you just stick with one ‘agency’ or do you participate in multiple ones?

 

Missed my last post?  It was WINNER OF “FIRST DAUGHTER” GIVEAWAY

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “SWORD” BY DA CHEN

Winner of “First Daughter” Giveaway

Current Giveaway: “Violet in Private” by Melissa Walker- ends 10/31/08

Thanks to all who entered my “First Daughter” by Eric Van Lustabader giveaway. 

The time has come to announce the winner. I had my sister randomly pick the number of a comment… And the winner is: Ivan Girl!  Congratulations, and thanks to everyone else who entered. 

 

If you didn’t win, you can buy your own copy here!

Missed my last post?  It was BOOKS AND WHY YOU PICK THEM UP

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “SWORD” BY DA CHEN

Books- and why you pick them up

Giveaways: “First Daughter” by Eric Van Lustbader- ends 10/10/08

                   “Violet in Private” by Melissa Walker- ends 10/31/08

 

Well I’m sure you’re all dying to hear what I got at the Collingswood Book Festival.  First of all, I have to say that I love going there.  It’s the second year I’ve gone, although it’s apparently been running for six years.  There’s food, fun, games…. and books.  The books of course are my favorite part.  There are tons of used books everywhere- it’s essentially heaven.  Last year I bought so many! There were numerous trips to the car, if you know what I mean.  This year I was more prepared, with tote bags, although we did make one trip to the car to unload.  Besides used books, there are tons of author tents promoting their work.  It was at one of these that I met Melissa Walker (see my last post) who was amazingly nice.

So aside from “Violet on the Runway”, “Violet by Design”, and “Violet in Private” (don’t forget, I’m giving away an autographed copy of this one) by Melissa Walker, I picked up:

(Sorry these links don’t go anywhere- I didn’t have time to add them)

“The Last Princess of Manchuria” by Lillian Lee

“Caesar’s Women” by Colleen McCullough

“Amazon” by Barbara G. Walker

“Whores on the Hill” by Colleen Curran (lol just for the title, to give to my sister- additionally this is an ARC)

“A Treasury of Sherlock Holmes” intro by Adrian Conan Doyle (very nice 1960 edition)- and I wish I could find a picture of this because it’s a beautiful leatherbound book with what’s called a ‘tree of life binding’.

“Prodigal Summer” and “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingslover

 

“1921″ by Morgan Llywelyn

“The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova

“The Birth of Venus” and “In the Company of the Courtesan” by Sarah Dunant

 

“Summer” by Edith Wharton

“The Golden Ocean” by Patrick O’Brian

“Icefields” by Thomas Wharton (accidentally- I thought it was by Edith Wharton!)

 

So not toooooooo many books- trust me it could have been a lot worse! Last year was.  In any case, you may be curious to my criteria as to what I pick up. 

-I go for authors I’ve heard of, or ones that have been recommended, or ones that are controversial- like Melissa Walker, Barbara Kingslover, Elizabeth Kostova, Sarah Dunant…

-Or if I’ve read/own a certain author, I’ll pick up other books by that author- like Patrick O’Brian, Edith Wharton, Morgan Llywelyn, Colleen McCullough… 

-A lot of times though certain book stands have deals, like get two hardcovers and the third is free.  So I’ll browse through and if I find something that looks vaguely interesting, I’ll pick it up- which is why I have the Barbara G. Walker and Lillian Lee books.

-Not to mention that I’m a sucker for old/leather bound books that I can get cheap- the Sherlock Holmes volume is an example of this.

-Finally, cover art draws me in.  You know the saying, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” ??? Well, I do.  Frankly I think most of us do.  Now there weren’t any here that I specifically picked up because of the cover art, but I have in the past.

 

So I’m not really picky.  I’ll try almost anything and have to restrain myself from buying everything.  I’m a poor college student after all.  What I’m really trying to ask though, is for those of you who go to used book sales or book fairs/festivals, what are your criteria?  What makes you buy certain books?

 

Missed my last post?  It was I’M BACK- WITH A NEW GIVEAWAY

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “SWORD” BY DA CHEN

I’m back- with a new giveaway :)

Hey guys, sorry I was away for so long.  School started back up and I have to tell you that it was kicking my butt.  Not so much school, but work on top of that- and I was just plain exhausted all the time.  I had to take September off from the blogging/reading world, but I told myself that I’d be back in October so here I am. 

So to start back up, — I have to gush about my first real author experience.  I was at the Collingswood Book Festival today and who did I see but Melissa Walker!  I know several of you have read her books- I’ve entered a few contests hoping to win them but never lucked out.  I confess to be really shy but she was so nice!  She signed all of my books- I picked up “Violet on the Runway“, “Violet by Design“, and her newest “Violet in Private“. 

 

I’m sure I’m going to love them!  And for those of you following the series, she says her next book will be out in May.  I have a surprise though- I bought an extra copy of “Violet in Private” to giveaway to one lucky commenter.  And it’s autographed   All you have to do for a chance to win is comment telling me about your best author experience.  If you haven’t had one, tell me what author you’d love to meet!  (If you don’t have a blog, make sure you leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.)  I’ll choose a winner at the end of October- and this contest is open to everybody, not just US and Canada.

 

Regarding my “First Daughter” giveaway, I’ll be choosing a winner on October 10th, so if you haven’t entered already, you only have a couple more days to do so.

 

Missed my last post?  It was TUESDAY THINGERS

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “SWORD” BY DA CHEN

Tuesday Thingers

***My newest giveaway is of “First Daughter“ ***

Today’s question, courtesy of Marie: Members who have your books. Do you ever look at this feature? Do you use it to make LT friends, or compare notes? There are three tabs- weighted, raw, and recent. “Weighted,” which means “weighted by book obscurity and library size” is probably the least self-explanatory of the three, whereas “raw” and “recent” are more so. Do you get any kind of use out of this feature?

 

I’ve looked at this, but don’t find it particularly useful.  Using raw, the person I share the most books with (321 books) has 4147 books in her library.  We really don’t have that many in common… After that I share 235 with a user that lists 72008 (which is actually a library not a user).  Clearly any library that big is going to have something in common with me.  After that are a bunch of users with large collections- so again I still don’t really feel like it’s very useful.  I also don’t think that the ‘recent’ tab is very interesting or useful… I don’t recognize any of the users.  Maybe if ‘recent’ really meant we were adding them at the same time, I’d get more out of it.

Now the weighted is more interesting.  I have a bunch in common with Devourer of Books and thekoolaidmom.  Probably ARCs are what’s connecting us there.  And there’s also a person who I’ve added as an interesting library because they have a lot of Alexander the Great books- and it’s cool to see what they have and I don’t. 

So the weighted is probably my favorite and the one I check the most!  Which is your favorite?

 

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “SWORD” BY DA CHEN

Review: “Sword” by Da Chen

***My newest giveaway is of “First Daughter“ ***

 

Title: “Sword“

Author: Da Chen

Format: Hardcover

Number of Pages: 240

ISBN: 978-0061447587

Publisher: HarperTrophy

Date of Publication: August 26, 2008

2.5 stars: I wanted to like this!

 

“Many nights I filled my spare time by squeezing into his doorway and claiming a spot on the crowded floor, listening devotedly to his tales of another time and place, after enduring a few slaps on the head from the older folks who didn’t want me there.  He was an optimist, and his words made you see the bright colors of spring and the majestic snow-capped mountains of Xinjiang.  The sunsets in his tales were especially glorious, and the people with whom he had shared his life the most gifted.”

(“Sword” pg 6*)

 

“Sword” by Da Chen opens with a prologue describing a young boy listening to a great storyteller, and then chapter one splits off into another tale- one that the storyteller is supposedly telling.  That story is of a fifteen year old girl named Miu Miu who sets off to avenge the death of her father.  The movie “Mulan” comes to mind, as Miu Miu disguises herself in her father’s clothing before leaving her village.  But unlike Mulan, Miu Miu has the permission of her mother and village elders to take up her quest.  Eventually she teams up with the man she was promised to at birth, and they both plot to kill the one responsible for Miu Miu’s father.

The language of this book is beautiful.  It really reads like poetry- the imagery in particular, and the readers can perfectly picture these landscapes in their heads.  Even the fights are poetic, and bring to mind graceful but powerful battles- like those in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. 

One thing bothered me as I was reading (and it sort of is the same thing that bothered me when I read “The White Mary”).  It was the use of foreign words throughout a story being told in English.  For example, on page 74 it reads: “Long quiang–spears– were in their hands, and short daggers were plunged into the side of their boots.”  I just don’t see that ‘quiang’ is necessary.  It is the Chinese word for spear, but the whole story is being told in English- not Chinese.  That said, it didn’t take away from the story- but it did annoy me each time it happened.  I could see how it would be useful to teach us random Chinese words, but why for ’spear’ and not for (for example) ‘daggers’?

My problem with the Chinese words aside, I did enjoy most of this story. I was about to recommend it highly to those who enjoyed “Mulan”, or to those who enjoy a good adventure….. And then I got to the end!!  I felt like one ending was written- then more was written and tacked on so that the audience didn’t feel so depressed.  Whatever happened, it didn’t work for me.  (And that first ending wouldn’t have really worked either!)  I’m left scratching my head- and I’m afraid I can’t exactly recommend this the way I wanted.  It’s a shame too, because 7/8 of the book is amazingly beautiful…  So maybe just buy it but don’t read the end! 

Also, according to the back of the book, this is recommended for ages 10 and up or grades 5 and up…. I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.  There’s a scene where a man wants to put his hand between her legs to find out if she’s a woman or not, there’s mention of her betrothed watching her suggestively as she changes clothes…. I just don’t think I would recommend it for ten year olds.

Please- if you’ve read this, or have a different opinion, tell me about it!

*These words may change in the final publication of the book

 

Want to see some other reviews?

Online Raibu Journaru

 

Missed my last post?  It was INSIDE THE READER’S STUDIO

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRACTOR” BY RICHARD MURPHY

Inside the Reader’s Studio

***My newest giveaway is of “First Daughter“ ***

Inside the Writer’s Studio is a show where host James Lipton interviews all sorts of people and asks them a series of questions.  I confess to not have seen so much of his show, as to have seen Will Ferrell do an impression of him on Saturday Night Live.  In either case, the questions are pretty interesting- and give the audience a closer look at whoever is answering.

I was tagged by both Meghan aka the medieval bookworm- see her answers here, and by Krista aka Inkhorn Platypus- see her answers here.

 

What is your favorite word?

Lol In high school it was krod- aka dork backwards…. but you could say it and nobody would know what you meant, except for a bunch of my classmates.  I’m not sure I have a favorite one now…. I like the words: unique, pure, violet, pudding, sky …. I have no idea why- there’s really no rhyme or reason.  I just like certain words!

What is your least favorite word?

Ugh- I don’t like armpit, vomit, and though this has been mentioned many times- as Meghan puts it “those words designed to degrade and demean the lady bits”……

What turns you on (creatively, spiritually or emotionally)?

Humor, laughter, intelligence, kindness… books!

What turns you off (creatively, spiritually or emotionally)?

Inconsiderateness- this is a huge pet peeve! Lateness, rudeness, grey skies, violence, yelling,…..

What sound or noise do you love?

The piano, purring, laughter, the flipping of pages, choir music, rain (which again I’m stealing from other posts), bells…..

What sound or noise do you hate?

Many, many, many cell phone rings, hearing the entire conversation of somebody with those walky-talky cell phones, nails on a chalkboard, cars honking, dogs barking, crying children in a movie theater….

What’s your favorite curse word?

It’s either bitch or whore.  I know that sounds bad.  For some reason me and my sister call each other these things all the time- totally don’t mean it.  In a way it’s a good thing because if I’m called one of them, it doesn’t really mean anything to me since we say it all the time.  But then again I have to remember that I can’t call other people bitches or whores, because to them it’s not appropriate and they won’t just brush it off.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I’d love to be an editor.  For some reason I really enjoy proofreading my classmates’ papers.  I just like knowing that I’m making something better.  Or I’d like to be a tutor- maybe for SATs, or for children who have a hard time learning.  I babysit a girl who has down syndrome, and I LOVE when something finally clicks for her.  It makes all the hard work and effort worth it.

What profession would you not like to do?

I worked in a law office for a couple years. Would not like to do that again!  Hmm what else…. I wouldn’t want to be a fisherman or trash collector….

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

You did your best- and it was good enough Also your little kitten Zeus is waiting for you.

 

Okay- must tag three people

Debbie over at Suburb Sanity

Caite at A Lovely Shore Breeze

Yvonne at Socrates’ Book Reviews

 

Missed my last post?  It was MAY I DIRECT YOU OVER TO…..

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRACTOR” BY RICHARD MURPHY

May I direct you over to……..

***My newest giveaway is of “First Daughter“ ***

Not too long ago, one of my awesome loyal readers decided to start blogging.  And I am so glad she did.  Her posts are great!  Entertaining, amusing, true…. about children, politics, even even the Olympics!  Misty May anyone?  Don’t believe me?  Go check out her blog!

Suburb Sanity

 

Debbie has been posting pretty frequently- and though I don’t always comment like I should- I can’t seem to stay away Welcome her to the blogging world, and keep an eye on her!

 

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRACTOR” BY RICHARD MURPHY

Review: “Confessions of a Contractor” by Richard Murphy

***My newest giveaway is of “First Daughter“ ***

 

 

 

Title: “Confessions of a Contractor“

Author: Richard Murphy

Format: Hardcover

Number of Pages: 288

ISBN: 978-0399155079

Publisher: Putnam Adult

Date of Publication: August 14, 2008

4 stars: Renovating? Don’t miss this!

 

 

 

“The first thing a woman needs to know about renovating a house or apartment is simpe: do not, under any circumstance, sleep with your contractor, no tmatter what your husband or boyfriend is doing to you, or not doing to you.” 

 (“Confessions of a Contractor” pg1*)

 

And before we get started, I have to say I would never sleep with my contractor…….. unless he looked like Richard Murphy.  I mean, oh my God, how did that slip out?

I wasn’t sure I was going to like “Confessions of a Contractor“.  From the cover art, to the first line- I was sure that it was going to be a book that had sex all over the place.  Lol, and in a way there was sex all over the place- in the ’steam shower in the master bath’, on the ’sandstone floor in the kitchen’, etc… but it was mentioned quickly and didn’t bog down the rest of the story. 

It’s told all in first person, so the audience knows only what the main character, Henry the contractor, knows.  This offers us a unique look at what your contractor is really thinking about you.  And despite the fact that, yes, he slept with some of his clients- I still liked the guy!  Besides liking the main character, I also enjoyed the others.  Perhaps my favorites were Hector and Miguel, because if they didn’t like you- they pretended to only speak Spanish.

I would very much recommend “Confessions of a Contractor” to anyone looking for a fun read.  And I’ll definitely be interested in reading anything else Richard Murphy puts out- right after I find out if there really are blind caterers…. well if you’ve read it- you know what I’m talking about!!  If not, pick you copy up today.  You can buy it here.  And don’t forget to drop by the book’s website.

 

*These lines may change in the final publication of the book

Want to see some other reviews?

LibrarysCat

Jenn’s Bookshelf

Minds Alive on the Shelves

 

Missed my last post?  It was TUESDAY THINGERS

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “ONE MORE YEAR” BY SANA KRASIKOV

Tuesday Thingers

My newest giveaway is of “First Daughter“.  Check it out

Sorry guys, been busy these last two weeks, but I hope to get back to blogging soon!

Today’s topic- courtesy of Marie: LibraryThing authors. Who are your LibraryThing authors? What books of theirs do you have? Do you ever comment on an author’s LT page? Have you received any comments from an author on your LT account?

 

I have more LT authors then I thought I did!  They’re listed below… I don’t think I’ve ever commented on an author’s LT page- except in response.  Mary E. Pearson thanked me for my review of “Scribbler of Dreams” which was very nice of her   I think she’s the only one who wrote directly on my profile, although I am friends with Penelope Przekop- author of “Aberrations”.

They are: Dave Boling- I have “Guernica” which just arrived,

Marie Brennan- I have “Midnight Never Come” which I won in one of her contests,

Phyllis Zimbler Miller- I have “Mrs. Lieutenant” which I will be reviewing soon and post along with an author interview,

Doreen Orion- I have “Queen of the Road”,

Mary E. Pearson- I have “Scribbler of Dreams”,

Penelope Przekop- I have “Aberrations” and you can see my review and interview with the author here,

Michelle Rowen- I have “Angel with Attitude”,

J. Scott Savage- I have “Farworld: Water” which I will be reviewing soon and post along with an author interview,

Caroline Comfort Shields- I have “Surviving Ben’s Suicide”- review and author interview here,

and Shanna Swedson- I have “Enchanted, Inc.”

 

 

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “ONE MORE YEAR” BY SANA KRASIKOV

Tuesday Thingers

Don’t forget to check out my newest giveaway!

 

Today’s question, courtesy of Marie : LT and RL (real life)- do you have friends in real life that you met through LibraryThing? Have you attended any LT meet-ups in your area? Would you be open to attending meet-ups or is LT strictly an online thing for you?

 

Well, I don’t have any real life friends I met through LT.  But give me time.  I’ve found a lot of great people through LT that understand my obsession with books and reading.  I haven’t attended any LT meet ups in my area, and for that matter I didn’t even know there were such things.  Would I be open to attending meet-ups… ? I think I would be.  It would be nice to meet some of you guys   Then again, being online adds a bit of mystery to the whole thing, and dare I say you might be disappointed when you meet me in real life and find out that I’m not nearly as cool as you think I am… Lol j/k- I really am that cool. Okay, kidding again, sorry!

 

Missed my last post?  It was INTERVIEW: ERIC VAN LUSTBADER- AUTHOR OF “FIRST DAUGHTER”

Missed my last review?  It was REVIEW: “ONE MORE YEAR” BY SANA KRASIKOV